Indonesia and Japan Strengthen Cooperation in the Tourism Sector

The Indonesian government and Japan are strengthening cooperation in the tourism sector, encompassing tourism promotion, tourism product development, and enhancement of human resource capacity. The agreement on strengthening cooperation between the two countries was signed by Indonesian Tourism Minister Widiyanti Putri Wardhana and Japanese Minister of Land, Infrastructure, Transport, and Tourism Yasushi Kaneko at the Japanese Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport, and Tourism office in Tokyo on Monday. According to a press release from the Indonesian Ministry of Tourism, the agreement covers joint tourism promotion in international exhibitions, tourism product development, tourism destination management, and strengthening sustainable tourism. The strengthening of Indonesia-Japan cooperation in the tourism sector also includes cooperation in providing flight and travel services, human resource development through training and expertise exchange, improved connectivity, as well as enhanced protection and security for tourists. A Joint Working Group (JWG) will be established to formulate action plans and monitor the implementation of the cooperation programmes on an ongoing basis. Through this cooperation, Indonesia and Japan affirm their joint commitment to strengthening innovative, sustainable, and mutually beneficial tourism collaboration while encouraging an increase in tourist visits and strengthening ties between the people of both countries. Indonesia received more than 380,000 Japanese tourist visits in 2025, an increase of around 12 percent compared to the previous year. Widiyanti emphasised the importance of air connectivity in efforts to increase tourist movement between the two countries. Currently, flight services between Tokyo-Jakarta and Tokyo-Bali serve as the backbone of tourist mobility from Japan to Indonesia and vice versa. Opportunities remain open to provide flight services from major cities in Japan to other tourist destinations in Indonesia, such as Yogyakarta. The Indonesian Tourism Minister also outlined the government’s plan to send trained workers abroad, including those in the tourism sector. According to her, the human resource development programme in the newly signed cooperation agreement with the Japanese government could serve as a platform to prepare such trained workers.